Social Participatory Role Enactment in Asynchronous Discussion and Mobile Instant Messaging

Background Computer‐supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is widely used in higher education, yet participation remains uneven and discourse often stays at a low cognitive level. Asynchronous online discussion (AOD) and mobile instant messaging (MIM) are two common communication environments, but how social participatory roles are expressed through discourse across these environments remains unclear. Objectives This study examined conversational‐function and cognitive‐engagement profiles associated with social participatory roles in recorded AOD and MIM interactions. Methods Thirty first‐year undergraduates in eight groups completed two collaborative tasks using Blackboard forums (AOD) and Lark (MIM) in a counterbalanced cross‐over design. Social participatory roles were inferred via social network analysis; conversational functions were coded with the ASIMeC‐F scheme; and cognitive engagement was coded at four levels (operation, way‐finding, sense‐making, innovation). Data were analysed using paired role‐distribution comparisons, binary mixed‐effects logistic regression, descriptive role‐specific summaries, and epistemic network analysis (ENA). Results and Conclusions No difference in marginal role distributions was detected, although individual role transitions were common. Adjusted models associated AOD with a higher prevalence of Analysing and MIM with a higher prevalence of Respond and Commenting without elaboration. Role‐specific profiles illustrated different discourse patterns under similar role labels, while ENA described co‐occurrence patterns within the conversational‐function and cognitive‐engagement coding schemes. These findings inform a context‐sensitive account of role enactment and suggest role‐based scaffolding for further testing.